


You're a Pretty Good Man, Yourself

by kitausuret



Series: Kinktober 2018 [16]
Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616, Venom (Comics)
Genre: Awkwardness, Body Image, Body Worship, Boning for Great Justice, Eddie is a Disaster, Getting to Know Each Other, Kinktober, M/M, Massage, Multi, Self Confidence Issues, Venom is a Helpful Noodle, part of a larger work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 02:14:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16358726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitausuret/pseuds/kitausuret
Summary: Nobody said testing this hypothesis was going to go without a hitch. Nobody said there wouldn't be bumps in the road. But for Eddie and Flash, their particular bumps might be a little... unusual. They've got a few things to work out before they can get much further.(Note: Possible future part ofDust to Dust, proceed with caution if you wish.)Kinktober Day 16: Body Worship





	You're a Pretty Good Man, Yourself

**Author's Note:**

> Title inspired by Eddie's line in _Venom Inc.: Omega_ , which I can only recommend by merit of like three scenes that were semi-okay.

“Of _course_ I think he’s attractive. I have… eyes. And I’m not… _entirely_ to one side of the Kinsey scale.”

Eddie spoke aloud as he paced the roof. His other had been sending him an array of mental images and the like of Flash Thompson in various stages of dress (or undress, rather), and he couldn’t help but feel a little bit like this was violating the veteran’s privacy.

_“Had permission, Eddie. ‘Relevant information’.”_

“Yeah, well, I hope you didn’t air _my_ dirty laundry like this when you were with him.”

 _“Never!”_ it insisted with a sharp flash in his mind.

He blinked to clear his vision and rubbed his temples. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to upset you, love. I want this to _work_ , is all, but I don’t…” Eddie crossed his arms. “I don’t really _feel_ much for him. I’m not going to be an asshole, though, so just tell me how to make him feel better.”

_“Tell him he is pretty.”_

He stopped dead in his tracks and looked up as if the symbiote were in the sky and not coiled about his brainstem. “Tell him _what_.”

As it had lately, his other seemed to struggle to find the words, and so paired them with images of Flash in physical therapy; in a medical center; inspecting himself. _“Flash feels… sad. About his body. Not always, but sometimes.”_ Brief flashes of anger and frustration filled his subconscious before immediately fading like ghosts. _"Won’t say it, but feels it. Tries to bury his sadness, like you do, Eddie.”_

“I don’t bury my…” He ground his teeth. “This is about him, not about me.”

He had the feeling this conversation wasn’t completely over, but Flash was probably done washing up by now and Dr. Steven had suggested three times a week. At least to make sure the chemistry was there, in more ways than one.

 _“Trust me,”_ it repeated, _“and tell him he is pretty.”_

Eddie sighed and opened up the hatch to the roof, because it was the middle of the day and any reports of Venom swinging into someone’s apartment were probably going to warrant an explanation to his glorified parole officers. “Fine. But I’m not using the word ‘pretty’.”

\-----

When Eddie stepped out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom a short while later, he had just a towel around his waist as he lingered in the doorway. Flash was on the bed in boxer briefs and a t-shirt, and Eddie thought back to what his other had said. So… all right. Focus on Flash’s attractive features. He allowed himself the barest hint of a smile as he observed. Flash was flipping through some papers, brow furrowed in concentration, but closed the folder as soon as he saw Eddie a few feet away.

He grimaced a little. “Is, uh, everything okay?” Flash seemed oddly self-conscious. They’d only done this once, basically caught in the heat of the moment, but this time was less impulsive. Maybe that meant that self-consciousness could start to leak through.

Well, they couldn’t be having _that_. If anything, Eddie had to at least maintain his own pride that he could be a good partner in bed.

“Sometimes I like to take in the scenery, golden boy. Light through the window makes your eyes pretty. Reflects off your hair, too. It’s… nice.”

He blushed but tried to cover it up by scoffing. “It’s still a stupid nickname.”

“Hmm?”

“‘Golden boy’,” Flash repeated. He sat up away from the headboard as Eddie crossed the room to join him. “I thought Peter Quill was the master of bad nicknames, but nah, I guess that belongs to you.”

“It’s a term of _endearment_ , Thompson.”

“Oh? Yeah?” He leaned forward with a grin. “How about you? At least _I_ don’t still call you by your last name when you’re naked in bed with me. First names, Eddie. I would’ve punched Castle for it but we were all struck by some kind of sex pollen-”

Eddie was quick to silence Flash with his lips, and much to his delight, Flash all but melted into the kiss. It was almost too intimate, though, so he gave a little bite down and toyed with the bottom of Flash’s shirt. He raked his other hand through the soft, slightly-damp waves of hair and murmured, “I’ll call you ‘Flash’ if you promise not to mention past bed partners.”

“Hmm… deal.”

Eddie kissed at his neck, hand sliding up Flash’s back, feeling the musculature there. Venom gave him a small prod of encouragement. “How long do you spend on the rowing machine?”

“That’s a…” Flash laughed, only for it to turn to a groan when Eddie sucked roughly at his throat. “Twenty minutes, three times a week?”

“It shows.” He pulled back to look Flash in the eyes. “Show me a little more.”

After a moment of hesitation, Flash grabbed the back of his t-shirt and pulled it off over his head. Eddie took it and tossed it over his shoulder before he pushed Flash onto the covers. Flash reached for the towel still around Eddie’s waist and protested when stopped.

“Ah-ah, golden boy. Roll over.”

Something darkened in Flash’s eyes then. “I’m not a damn _dog_.”

Eddie barely concealed his grimace when the symbiote at once scolded him. He moved back into a kneel and held his hands up. “Look, I’m…” He clenched his jaw. “...sorry. It’s been a while since I…”

_“Communicate, Eddie.”_

Flash lifted his eyebrows.

“It’s important to my other that I treat you well.”

_“Important to you, too.”_

_Please stop._

Much to his relief, Flash smiled a little. “Pal’s looking out for me, huh? Well… I trust him.” He tugged Eddie back down into another kiss. “Might’ve overreacted a little. But try ‘please’ next time.” He grabbed a pillow to rest his head on it and rolled over onto his stomach.

Eddie stretched his arms out and cracked his knuckles. Carefully, he started working out the tension in Flash’s back, focusing on the knots in his shoulders until he could feel them give a little. It was cathartic, almost, the way he could hear Flash’s breathing slow, relaxing, and Eddie dug his fingers in a little so he wouldn’t fall asleep.

“Mmm… you’re good at this,” he mumbled into the pillow.

“I do enjoy it,” Eddie admitted. “You’re strong, and I can feel it. Every muscle; every twitch. Sculpted. Trained.” He trailed his hands lower and leaned down to breathe against Flash’s neck. “Every inch.” He grinned at the shudder he felt in response, and backed away to massage at his lower back, working to the small of it, that little dip surrounded by strong musculature. He slid a hand under Flash’s boxers to grope his ass and started to tug them down.

Flash lifted up onto his elbows and looked back. “Eddie…”

He froze and met the other man’s gaze.

“Does it… bother you?”

Eddie quirked an eyebrow. “I’m sleeping with my symbiote’s former host. It’s a little odd.”

“Not, not that, no, yeah, _that’s_ weird,” he said. “I just mean, you know.” He rolled over and lifted what remained of his right leg.

 _Oh…_ He shrugged as casually as possible. “With an ass like yours? Doesn’t bother me.”

“Eddie, I’m serious.”

“No, Thom- _Flash_. I don’t care. Doesn’t bother Venom. Doesn’t bother me. I’ve never known you any other way, and you’re reasonably attractive.”

“ _Reasonably?_ ” he repeated, but smirked as he said so.

“All right, best thighs I’ve ever seen on a man. And I’ve been in plenty of locker rooms.”

“You into that, Eddie? Wanna hold me up in a grimy shower block and-”

“You’re an asshole.”

“You like it,” Flash said and rolled over again. “Back to giving me a rubdown and telling me I’m pretty, maybe?”

“Maybe I-” He paused in the middle of rubbing down Flash’s thigh. “Wait, you _like_ being called ‘pretty’?”

He could see Flash blush a little. “I mean, as long as you’re not condescending about it.”

“...you were right…”

“Who was-? Wait, Venom?” Flash moved to his side, laughing. “ _Venom_ told you I liked that?”

_“Told you so.”_

Eddie shook his head and couldn’t quite hold back an amused smile. Maybe this would work out, after all.


End file.
